This invention relates to adhesive ring assemblies for collection bags.
The invention is more particularly concerned with rings for use with ostomy bags or the like which are secured around a body opening to collect waste material discharged therefrom.
Conventional adhesive rings are made from a karaya substance, a rubber-based adhesive, an acrylic-based adhesive, or a hydrophilic polymer in a support matrix of a hydrophobic polymer, such as SEEL-A-PEEL (a Registered Trade Mark of Eschmann Bros. & Walsh Limited). The ring may be pre-assembled on the bag, around its body waste opening and have a release sheet, such as of siliconized paper on its outer surface to protect it in packaging and during handling. The release sheet is of the same size and shape as the adhesive ring, with a tab projecting from one side to facilitate gripping the sheet and peeling it from the ring.
In use, the user peels the release sheet entirely away from the adhesive ring, then positions the ring around the stoma or other body waste opening and smooths the ring against the skin to form a secure mechanical coupling and a fluid-tight seal of the bag with the body discharge opening.
Several problems can arise with this arrangement. If the ring is not correctly positioned initially and it has to be removed from the skin and repositioned, this can cause the ring to become wrinkled leading to a reduction in the effectiveness of the seal provided by the ring. Also, if the ring should be incorrectly positioned so that it comes into contact with the body opening, this can cause contamination of the adhesive surface by mucus, faeces or the like which also reduces the effectiveness of the ring and can make it necessary to replace the entire bag.
It is of great importance that users of such collection bags should have confidence that the ring will provide secure retention of the bag in position and will not allow leakage between the ring and the skin.
The adhesive rings are not confined to use where they directly contact the skin but they can be used in conjuction with a peristomal wafer secured to the skin or to retain a collection bag on a separate coupling which is secured to the skin and which is used repeatedly as bags are replaced.